Receptacle tilting and unloading device



Dec. 11, 1951 F. J. WHITE ET AL 2,578,116

RECEPTACLE TILTING AND UNLOADING DEVICE Filed Feb. 8, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR.

FRANK J. WHITE By CARL 14/. Scarf Dec. '11, 195] wHlTE ET AL 2,578,116

RECEPTACLE TILTING AND UNLOADING DEVICE Filed Feb. 8, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 JNVEN TOR.

FRANK 1 WHITE CARL w srorr Dec. 11, 1951 F. J. WHITE ET AL RECEPTACLE T ILTING AND UNLOADING DEVICE Filed Feb. 8, 1950 11/ III] III/II 11/ iLI/[I 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 IN V EN TOR.

F/AA/K J w/l/rE y CARI. w $6077 A TTOR/VEYS Patented Dec. 11, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RECEPTACLE TILTIN G AND UNLOADING DEVICE Frank J. White and Carl W. Scott, Beatrice, Nebr.,

assignors to Tote Engineering, Inc., Seattle, 7 V

Wash., a corporation of Washington Application February 8, 1950, Serial No. 143,094

16 Claims. (01. 214 1.1)

Our invention relates to receptacle tilting and unloading apparatus.

More particularly this invention relates to tilting and unloading apparatus for bins or receptacles of the type and design disclosed in our co-pending application Serial Number 54,114, filed October 12, 1948.

When bins or large containers filled with granular or finely divided material are to be discharged of their contents, the said material does not tend to completely discharge from or empty the bin because of the character of granular or finely divided material in not tending to flow or seek a level because of gravity. It is commonly expressed in the art that most granular and. finely divided materials are without head and do not tend to flow if their direction of travel is changed to the horizontal. The present invention is designed particularly for unloading bins filled with granular, finely divided or fluent materials, and in the interest of simplicity such materials are referred to hereinafter as granular materials.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a tilt rack or angularly movable bin supporting member which tends to properly center or aline bins even though they have not been precisely initially located on the tilt rack.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide vibrator means operable adjacent a wall of a container or bin to aid in discharging granular material from the bin.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a tilt rack having a hopper of a construction 50 that the hopper forms a dust-tight seal about the door opening so that finely divided material, as flour, does not tend to sift by or leak past the seal between the hopper and the wall of the bin in which is provided the discharge opening.

- It is a further object of this invention to provide tilting and unloading mechanisms to be employed in connection with a plurality of bins with a common discharge means so that such discharge means functions as a blender or mixer so that equal or unequa1 parts of material from a plurality of bins may be delivered to such common discharge.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide unloading mechanism of a nature and kind to eliminate bearing problems incident to bearings employed with screw conveyors, which conveyors are moving granular and finely divided materials.

, It is a further object of the invention to pro:

vide a simple, efiicient, and substantially foolproof bin tilting and unloading apparatus which is efiicient in operation, economical in construction, reliable in operation, and of a design readily adapted for mass production.

The above-mentioned general objects of this invention, together with others inherent in the same, are attained by the devices illustrated in the accompanying drawings, throughout which drawings like reference numerals indicate like parts:

Figure 1 is a perspective view, with parts broken away, of a device embodying this invention;

Fig. 2 is a view in end elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 1, with a bin in place on said structure of Fig. 1, and with one form of tilting and conveying mechanism shown;

Fig. 3 is a planview of the construction shown in Fig. 2 except no bins are shown;

Fi 4 is a view in side elevation of the construction shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged view in section, with parts shown in elevation, taken substantially on broken line 5--5.of Fig. 3, with a fragment of a bin shown in full and dotted line positions and with the conveyor screw removed from the conveyor housing; i

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary view in section, with parts shown in elevation, of another type of conveyor construction which may be used in this invention; and

Fig. 7 is a view in end elevation of a modified form of this invention.

Referring now to Fig. 1 of thedrawings, the construction shown comprises a hopper generally numbered 8. The hopper 8 preferably comprises end walls 9 which taper outwardly or have a triangular upper portion, as shown. The end walls 9 are connected to an arcuate bottom wall l0, and back walls It and 12. The front portions of walls 9, l2 and I9 are surrounded by a gasket l3, which may be formed of any suitable material, such as rubber, to provide a dust-tight seal between the hopper 8 and a bin to be unloaded, as bin l4 (Figs. 2, 5 and '7). The bin [4 shown herein in Figs. 2, 5 and 7 may be the bin or receptacle of our saidco-pending application, Serial Number 54,114, entitled Shipping Container.

The hopper 8 is rigid with bin supporting tongue numbered generally I5, which may be accomplished by welding the side walls I6 of the tongue 15 with the arcuate bottom wall II], as is best shownin Fig. 5 of the drawings. The platform I! of the tongue I5 is secured to the arouate bottom wall III by any suitable means, such as by securing portions 20 and 2| thereof to wall ID, as by welding (Fig. 5). Also, the end walls 9 of hopper 8 are secured to cylindrical bearing members 18 disposed at the ends of bottom wall 10 (see Fig. 1 One. suitable construction thereof is. shown inFig; 6 and hereinafter de-;. scribed. Also the semi-circular bottom Wall I is secured to the back wall II, as indicated in Fig. 5, to end walls 9, and toinclined wall I9 (Fig. The arcuate bottom wall member 1'0, and bearing members I8 may be termed a trunnion bearing. The platform. I]. (see Fig.5) has.

an inclined portion 20 and ahorizontal portion 2|, which is preferably parallel with the platform ll. 7 I9, as by welding. Thus, the hopper 8' and the bin supporting tongue l5 are rigidly connected and mounted for angular movement about pac d, bea n members. 18.. Be rin m mb rs. 182MB J ed nbearin s i r e liromb ttom and top-cap members 22 and23 (see Figs. 1, andotto capv m mb s .2. ar prov ded w th. suitable flanges so the same can besecuredwith any. suitable fixed, support.

Preferably a plurality .of hoppers ,8, ,each rigidlyconnected with,v a, bin supporting tongue l5, employed for blending purposes, of theprodnot being handled, as hereinafter described, and; as an illustration thereof two units are clearly shown in. Figs. 3; ands lofthe drawingswhere each unit-.comprisesa hopper 8, a tongue. L5land associated parts. Each of the tilt unloding racks, comprising a hopper 8; a tongue I5, and associated parts, carries. bin leg receiving sup-., ports numbered generally 24..(see for example Fig. 3) each forreceivingtherein. a binleg 2'5, (seeFigs. 2 and- '7). The device herein is particularly designed to unload bins ofthe construction shown insaid copendingappl-ication Serial Number 54,114, and suchbins arevprovided with across braceandbin alining member 25; (Fig. 5) between. two-front legs 25;.ofa bin [14. In. other words, thecrossbr'ace member 2-.6. connects between. the. two .legsbetween. which extends. the. unloading. door. 21: (see Fig. '7)..-of the bin [4. When a bin is supported iby. a tongue [5 and parts associatedtherewith, the .two front legs ofv the bin adjacent the. unloading. door .21: of the bin. will be positioned. in leg. receiving sup:

ports 24; the cross brace 2B.of..the.bin-. l.4;will.'be-.

bin l4 tends to flow from the bin. l4. intothe:

hopper 8 when the hopper 8, tongue l5:.and.bin

l4 thereon are in unloading positions. The-vie brator 29 is preferably electricallyoperated andv oscillates at relatively high frequencies so as-to cause high frequency vibration of. the .bottomfill.

of the bin 14. (Figs. 2-andz'7); As indicated: in said co-pending application .Serial 54,114, bottom wall 30 of the bin I4 is of a. con: struction so that the samemay bereadily oscillated at small magnitudes and at relativelyhigh frequencies.

Thus, finely divided or gr'a nul ar material as,

flour, sugar, grain, or thelike -whichdoes not The portion 2| is secured to'thewall Number 4 tend to flow, if its path of flow is diverted to the horizontal and its angle of repose is reached, may be vibrated when supported on the bottom wall 30 of the bin 14 and caused to flow out of the bin 14 through the open door 21 and into the hopper 8. As high frequency vibrators may be commonly obtained on the market and the details of the same form no part ofthis invention, the said high frequency vibrators 29 are only diagrammatically illustrated.

A bin I4 is moved into place, by any suitable means, such as a common industrial lift truck, above platform I7 and with the front carrying thedoor 2] adjacentthe hopper 8. As the bin is lowered by the lift truck, the cross brace 26 of the binwill engage roller 3| (see Fig. 5) and continued lowering movement of the bin (4 causes the bin l4 to move forwardly toward hopper 8 and may seal the hopper 8 to the bin [4 around the opening of door 21. In the event the bin I41 fails t o-. mov .e into contact with the hopper, lifting of the platform ll with the bin thereon will positively move the; bin id into sealed; engagement with the hopper 8. The roller 31- is carried by the tongue 15 and is mounted forrotary movement. While a brace 26 having an angular face portion, as shown, and/or an inclinedportionlfi willtend to-urge the bin. [4 toward: the hopper- 8, preferably the roller 31: is; employed as such. construction re ducesfriction and wear on parts.

the, same timethat bin i4 is being; lowered an hr h. he a tion: q rol he bin is be n m ve rwardly ar the h p the,twofrontdegsfi; of the bin l4 are moving downwardlyin; bin legreceiving supports 24. Bin

leg receiving supports Ztare rigid with hopper 8 and are eneral of g v cu k p Pre ferably eaoh bin receiving support 2.4; is provided. with; a roller 32; (the.adj acent portions. of rollers ;32 are spacedapart about the overall widthof bin I at itstwo front legs 25) so that engagement of a bin ;leg; 25;. with either of said rollers 32 :tends-to move;the-bin toward the other roller 32 and'center the; bin. As the rollers 32 are on opposite sides of; binleg receiving supports mash uts ether the-said. rollers 32 tend-to-,center;a bin Has the same is-lowered by; the lift; truck-. Again, inclined portion may be used in placeofthe rollerS-BZ to cause a similar-actiongtotherollers 3 2-but the rollers 32 are preferred as they, reducefr-iction and wear on parts Thus, a biirmay be generally orsubstan tially-alined and. as,tl 1e-. ,bin,is lowered in placethe-rollers 3;,I,.and1 32; ,willprecisely aline a bin M; with a hopper-8; and cause relatively-forward movement; of: the bin. 14 vso that the front portion ofta binlissupportedbyits front legs in bin leg receivingsupports and: at the same time a seal is provided between the bin I4 and the hoppersa andzthegasket .i3 is compressed so that We havea hermetical seal.

The bottomcap members 22 may be at floor level; as is indicatedin Fig. 70f the drawings, or saidbottom cap members. 22' maybe at any de siredelevation above-the floor, as is indicated in Figs. 2, 3 and 4-. In-the event it-is desired to support the construction at a desired elevation above the-floor, the said bottom cap-members 22 may be Supported -byfixed vertical-supports 33.

It'h'as beenfounddesirable that blue 1 lshould betilted in unloading approximately 45 degrees andsuch-anangle is sufficient for unloading-various typ s ofmaterials which havebeen loadedin thebins l4: Thus, in th-is invention there is provided means to tilt the hopper 8, tongue I5,"and the bin I4 supported thereon so that the bottom 30 of the bin may be initially positioned in a horizontal position and then said bottom 30 will assume an angle of approximately 45 degrees to the horizontal after the tilting mechanism and the bin thereon have been titled or angularly moved. The tilting mechanism for the tongue I5 and parts connected therewith may be in the nature of a fluid operated piston and cylinder mechanism 34 having the upper end of the piston or cylinder pivotally connected with a lug 35 carried by the tongue I5 and having the lower end of the cylinder or piston (the other than that connected to the lug 35) pivotally connected with a fixed floor lug 36. In the construction just described, the piston and cylinder mechanism 34 and the fixed supports 33 of each unit shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4 are such that'the bins I4 are in normal un tilted position, as shown in Fig. 2, and thus are at an elevation above the floor level determined by height of fixed supports 33 and piston and cylinder mechanism 34.- Upon application of fluid pressure between the piston and cylinder of the piston and cylinder mecha- 'nism 34, the hopper 8, tongue I5, and bin I4 will be angularly moved about 45 degrees and to the position shown in Fig. 7 of the drawings which illustrates another form of motive power to provide for the angular tilting movement of the bin I4 and parts supporting the same. As fluid operated piston and cylinder lifting'constructions (gas or liquid operated) are generally old in the art, the piston and cylinder mechanism 34 is only diagrammatically shown and described.

Referring now to Fig. '7 of the drawings, a hoist '31-, which may be of the common chain type, connects between an overhead fixed supporting eye 38 and an eye 39 carried b the tongue I5. In order to insure that the hopper 8 and tongue I5 are angularly moved the desired amount and there held, the construction of thedog leg'mechanism 49 shown in Fig. 7 may be employed. This dog leg mechanism 40 comprises a link 4| pivoted at one end portion to the lug 35 carried by the tongue l5 and pivoted at its other end portion to one end portion of a link 42. The other end portion of the link 42 is pivoted to any fixed floor lug, as lug 43. A plate or stop 44 is carried by one of the links 4| or 42 and abuts against the other of said links when the links have moved substantially into alinement, as is indicated in Fig. 7 When the links 4| and 42 are in the position shown in Fig. 7 of the drawings, further clockwise movement of link 4| is prevented as well as further counter-clockwise movement of link 42. However, when it is desired to return the tongue I5 to a horizontal position, the link 42 may be moved in a clockwise direction while the link 4| may be moved in a counterclockwise direction. The links4| and 42 are pivotally connected by pivot means 45. In order to lock the links 4| and 42 together when they are in the fully extended position (preferably they are moved past center) shown in Fig. 7, a pin 46 is provided and preferably maintained readily available by securing chain 41. The pin 46 when in looking position extends through openings in links 4| and 42 and at a location removed from the pivot 45. When the links 4| and 42 are'in their normal rest position, the tongue I5 rests on any suitable fixed floor support, such as support 48.

' f The vibrator 29 below thefloor or bottom wall 6 third of the distance of the floor from the front wall of the bin I4 or the wall which engages against the gasket I3 of the hopper 8. Such'lo cation has been found very successful in providing the desired movement of vibration to the bin l4 to unload granular material therefrom. Also,- it has been found that a vibrator may be placed on other walls of the bin I4, such as on the front wall thereof. has been shown in Fig. 7 a vibrator 49 which may be the counterpart of the vibrator 29. The vibrator 49 may be suitably supported by the hopper 8, as by a bracket 55 secured to the hopper 8 and also to the vibrator 49. In order to obtain the greatest utility of either vibrator 29 or 49 each of the bin leg receiving supports 24 is provided with a pad 5| of resilient material, as rubber.

Thus, a bin I4 at the time of vibration to facilitate unloading the bin (at this time the bin is at a degree angle'as illustrated in Fig. 7 of the drawings) is supported by rubber pads 29 and 5| and is also supported by gasket I3. Due to such resiliency of such supporting members, the bin I4 and contents thereof may be subjected to relatively high frequency vibrations and most granular material will tend to readily flow out through the opening provided by open door 2?.

As a bin I4 follows the construction of said co-' pending application Serial Number 54,114, then an opening is provided in hopper 8 which may be opened and closed by cover 52. Cover 52 may be of the circular type (similar to gasoline tank caps) and one which is located in place by a part of a turn and released and removed by angularly turning the same amount in the opposite direction and then removed. The cover 52 should provide when closed a dust-tight seal. Thus, if a bin of said type is employed, the bin can be first moved in place and supported on pads 5| of bin leg receiving supports 24 and on pad 28. At this stage the gasket I3 will provide a seal between the front wall of the bin and around the opening of the door 27. Then by operating through the opening provided by removing cover 52, the door 2'! may be released so the same will be opened by the pressure of contents moving from the bin l4 into hopper 8.

The arcuate bottom wall Is of hopper 8 functions as a discharge chute and preferably within said discharge chute is provided a conveyor having a discharge screw 53. The screw 53 (see Figs. 1 and 6) has a shaft 54 and is driven by any suitable means, e. g. (Fig. 2), a sheave 55 is fixed on shaft 54. A prime mover, as electric motor 56, is suitably mounted and its rotor care ries a sheave 5? alined with sheave 55 and said sheaves 55 and 57 are interconnected by a link belt 58. In the event that two screws 53 are employed, as is indicated in Figs. 3 and 4, they will be driven in suitable directions so that each screw will discharge into a common discharge conduit 59 (see also Fig. 4). Discharge conduit 59 connects with a discharge conveyor 6%. Discharge conveyor 60 comprises a housing 5i having a screw conveyor therein, a prime mover, as electric motor 62, and means to interconnect motor 62 with the screw of the discharge conveyor 60, as link belt 63. The discharge conveyor 60 delivers material received from the discharge conduit 59 to any suitable location, e. g., in bakeries it may be desired to connect the discharge conveyor 69 with dough mixers or with bin storage hoppers. Also, in bakeries it may be desired to blend or mix the contents from a plurality of bins. In order to obtain the greatest As an illustration thereof, there advantagescitric-construction shown,v preferably the-electric motors. 56.01 thevtwodevices shown iniFigs. 3 ande-should'bevariable speed so that equalorzunequal proportions may be delivered from ;'two of thejbins I l into thev housing 6|. While thestructure of this invention has been described in part in: connection with bakeries, obviously, bakery use is but one of the many. :uses to which structure of this invention may be'applied and the benefits of this invention enjoyed. Some granular material, as sugar, presents particular'problems in connection with the bearings employed. inconnection with either screw conveyorscomprising screw 53 or screw conveyor 60. Sugar tends to be somewhat abrasive and tends to foul bearings if ordinary-bearings-carried by the usual spiders are employed.

Also, the usual spiders having a plurality of arms supporting thebearing tend to choke or partially close the discharge end of a conveyor. Thus, there .has been shown in Fig. of the drawings a single arm 64 supporting a bearing- .55 which bearing 65 may be employed in supporting the end of the shaft 54 toward the discharge. Preferably the bearing 65 supports only the discharge end of a conveyor as it permits free-flow of material past the arm 84 and with a minimum of restriction to the flow of material. While the arm 64 and-bearing 65 have been illustrated in Fig. 5 .in connection with a screw conveyor comprising the screw 53 which cooperates with thearcuate bottom Walls H! ofeither of the two conveyors shown. in Figs. 3 and 4, such hanger or arm 64 and bearing 65 may be used in connection with supporting the discharge end of the shaft supporting the screw in screw conveyor Ell.

As there is no tendency of material to flow past the bearing at the infeed end of any one 'of the screw conveyors (the two screw conveyors comprising screws 53 or the one screw conveyor 69), preferably the construction of the bearing supporting the shaft of screw conveyor at the infeed end is that shown to the right in Fig. 6 of the drawings. The construction so shown includes the usual ball bearings 85 and races 61. Obviously, other types of anti-friction bearings, as roller bearings, may be employed in place of the ball bearing construction just described. 'As the construction in Fig. 6 of the drawings is a sectional view lookingdown and cutting through the bottom arcuate wall Ill, a portion of a bearing member I8 is shown and said bearing member I8 is secured to said arcuate wall it by means of screws 68. As there is relative movement during angular or tilting movement of the hopper "and tongue and thus in turn of the bearing l8 relative to the cap 22, material within the conveyor may tend to move outwardly between bearing l8 and cap 22. Thus, preferably a circular gasket 59 is employedas a packing member between bearing is and cap members 22 and 23.

In the event that granular or abrasive material is being unloaded by the three conveyors mentioned, preferably the outfeed end of each conveyor is not provided with the bearing comprising'arm S4 and bearing 65' and employs an arcuate bearing material 69' secured to the periphery of the'screw 53 and for approximately one flight of the screw. This bearing material 69 may be of anysuitable hardened and wearresisting material, as Micarta. terial is wear-resistant and loosely fits within the housing formed by the 'arcuate wall I9. The

bearing material '69 thus fits against'and is supported 'by a cylindrical housing. The discharge a O The said maportion ofi theiscrew conveyor thus is-not inany wise restrictedand there is no shaft bearing-of common construction which would tend to'be fouled by discharging material.

After the, granular material has been discharged from either -.of the bins resting on the construction shown in Figs. 3 and 4 of the draw ings, thetong-ue l5 of a particular mechanism can be :lowered andthe empty bin removed. I If desired avfull bin. can replace the empty-bin and the said. full bin canbedischarged in-the manher-previouslydescribed.

Thusyour construction provides an unloading device which is particularly designed for unloading-receptacles or bins-of the nature and-design shown-in our said -co-pending application Serial Number 54,114- Such bins or receptacles may Joe-generally described as'having a plurality of side walls and aLdischarge opening inthe front wall thereof,- which discharge opening may-be opened-andclosed by the door 2?. The discharge opening so providedis adjacent the bottonrof the receptacle I l-and the receptacle i4 is provided with front legs-25-and a cross brace or bin alining member 28- between front legs 25 of the bin! 4. Our unloading device comprises a hopper numbered generally S-haVingan open face or material receiving opening. Gasket means l3 surround the said material receivingopening'of the hopper-8 and such-gasket means i3 are'preierably formed of-compressible material so that upon relative motion ofthe hopper and-of the bin-M a dust-tightseal obtains between the materialreceiving opening ofthe hopper 3 'and the wall of the bin i6 in-which is disposed the bin discharging opening covered by the door 21. It is not necessary to positively center and-aline a-bin- Mon-tongue Iii-as the bin leg receiving supportsi l willcausea'binto move from one side to theother byreason of rollers Also, it is not -necessary to positively seal the bin I4 against gasket l3 as the roller 3| by engagement with crossbraceor: binalining member'iie provides forrelative movement between the bin l4 and the hopper 8 as the bin I4 is lowered into place. Also-as the tongue I5 angularly moves, the weight of the bin urges the same. against the gasket :13. The tongue I5 is-rigidly connected with the. hopper 8 and the tongue l5 supports the bottom portion 39 of the bin M on pad 23 and when the bin is in supported position it'is abutt'edaagainst the gasket 13 of the hopper 8. Pivot means connected with the hopper 8 and the tongue liinclude trunnion bearings l8 which are mounted for angular movement in the-bearings-- provided by caps 22 and 23 and'thus the said-hopper 8, tongue [5, and the bin-hi loaded thereonaare supported for angular movement to permit the-bottom 3%] of the bin hi to be angularly moved approximately '45 degrees tothe horizontal'and to thus discharge the contents of the receptacle -15 into thehopperB. While the bin 14- is in unloading position, its bottom 30 is supported on resilient pad 28, its two front legs are supported onresilient pads 5| in bin leg receiving supports 24, and its front wall is supported ..by resilient gasket 13. "Thus. the bin may be readily vibrated at high frequencies because of its resilient support whichmay be accomplishedby vibrator'ifi carried ,by tongue [5 or vibrator 49 connected with hopper 8.

Preferably the'bottom'of'the hopper 8 is'in the formof' a semi-"cylinder, as 'arcuate' wall lll. Such bottom 'arcuate wall I I] "forms the bottom wall portion of ascrew typeof conveyor, such as 59' a screw type conveyor employing screw shaft .54-and screw 53. Preferably the devices are, used in; multiples sothat two screw conveyors feed toward a common discharge, as dischargeconduit 59 permitting blending of the contents discharging from a plurality of bins in equal or unequal parts as screws 53 may be of unlike pitch and a constant speed'or of like pitch and driven at unlike speeds. Preferably the screw type conveyor employs the bearing material 69' of Fig. 6 resting on the internal circumference of the conveyor housing so that the conveyor is not limited as to the-type of materials which it will handle or the screw type conveyors preferably employ the hanger construction shown in Fig. '5..where' we have .a single arm 64 supporting a shaft bearing 65. Also, preferably the hopper 8 is provided with a cover.52 so that the door mechanism 2] ofa bin [4 maybe opened after a binis inplace and sealed against the gasket l3 of the hopper Obviously, changesmaywbemade in the forms, dimensions, and arrangement of the parts of our inve'nticnwithoutdeparting from the principle thereof, the above setting forth only preferred forms of embodiment. I

We claim:

1. An unloading device for receptacles having side and bottom walls and a discharge opening in one thereof and adjacent the bottom of said receptacle comprising a hopper having a material receiving opening; gasket means surrounding said material receiving opening and scalable between the same and the wall of said receptacle having said discharge opening therein, and around said discharge opening; tongue means rigidly connected with said hopper for supporting the bottom portion of a receptacle and with said receptacle abutted against said hopper; and pivot means connected with said hopper and said tongue means to permit angular movement thereof and of a receptacle supported on said tongue to discharge the contents of said receptacle into said hopper.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said hopper has an arcuate bottom portion forming the housing of a conveyor.

3. The combination of claim 2 wherein a screw type conveyor is positioned in said arcuate bottom portion.

4. The combination of claim 3 wherein said screw type conveyor at the material discharge portion thereof is supported from a single arm and a bearing supported thereby.

5. The combination of claim 3 wherein said screw type conveyor at the material discharge portion thereof is supported by a bearing member disposed at the periphery of the screw of the conveyor and which bearing bears against the inside surface of the arcuate bottom portion of the housing of the conveyor.

6. An unloading device for receptacles having side and bottom walls and a discharge opening in one thereof and adjacent the bottom of said receptacle comprising a hopper having a material receiving opening; gasket means surrounding said material receiving opening and scalable between the same and the Wall of said receptacle having said discharge opening therein and around said discharge opening; tongue means rigidly connected with said hopper for supporting the bottom portion of the receptacle and with said receptacle abutting against said hopper; pivot means connected with said hopper and said tongue means to permit angular movement there- 10 of and of a receptacle supported on said tongue to discharge the contents of-said receptacle into said hopper; and a'vibrator member connected with one wall of said receptacle to vibrate the same and facilitatedischarge of granular material from said receptacle.

7. The combination of claim 6 wherein said vibrator member contacts the bottom wall 'of said receptacle.

.8. The combination of claim 6 wherein said vibrator member contacts the side wall of said receptacle adjacent said hopper. 9.An unloading. device for receptacles having side and bottom'walls and a discharge opening in onethereof and adjacent the bottom of said receptacle comprising ahopper having a material receiving opening; gasket means surrounding said material'receiving opening and scalable between-the same and the wall of said receptacle having'saididischarge opening there- 'in'and around 'said' discharge opening; tongue means rigidly connected with said hopper; bin supportingmeans carried by said tongue means comprising resilient'pad'members disposed between'the tongue means and the supported bottom portion of said receptacleto resiliently support a receptacle abutted-against said hopper and permit- .vibratorymovement of said receptacle; pivot means connected .withsaidrhopper and said tongue means to permit angular movementthereof and of a receptacle supported on said tongue to discharge the contents of said receptacle into said hopper; and a vibrator member connected with one wall of said receptacle to vibrate the same and facilitate discharge of granular material from said receptacle.

10. An unloading device for receptacles having a discharge opening in a wall thereof adjacent the bottom thereof and having footed portions elevating the bottom of the receptacle above a supporting surface; a hopper having a material receiving opening against which said discharge opening of the receptacle is to be abutted; tongue means rigidly connected with said hopper; receptacle supporting means carried by said tongue means and comprising a plurality of spaced receptacle leg troughs laterally urging receptacle legs to predetermined positions which are inserted into said troughs to aline a receptacle and urge the same against said hopper; and pivot means connected with said hopper and said tongue means to permit angular movement thereof and of a receptacle supported on said tongue to discharge the contents of said receptacle into said hopper.

,11. The combination of claim 10 wherein said receptacle leg troughs comprise rotatably mounted rollers mounted on horizontal axes to be engaged by legs of a receptacle as they are lowered therepast.

12. An unloading device for receptacles having a discharge opening in a wall thereof adjacent the bottom thereof and having a cross brace below the bottom thereof and adjacent one wall thereof; a hopper having a material receiving opening against which said discharge opening the opening of the receptacle is to be abutted; tongue means rigidly connected with said hopper and supporting the bottom portion of a receptacle; bin alining means carried by said tongue means and in the path of downward movement of said cross brace carried by said bin and laterally urging said cross brace toward said hopper and abutting said receptacle against said hopper; and pivot means connected with said hopper aruz'zsairc 131 and said tongue :means to permitangular :movement thereof and :of a receptacle :supported on said tongue to :discharge the icontcnts of said receptacle into said ihcpper.

13. The combination vof rclaim 12 wherein :said bin alining means comprises .rotatably mounted roller means mounted on a horizontal axis tobe engaged by said cross brace asth'ey are lowered therepast.

'14. An unloading device .for receptacles having a discharge opening in :a'zwall thereof adjacent the bottom thereof and having :a releasable "door for=.cover.ing said opening having releasing mechanism; a hopper having a material :receiving opening against which said discharge opening mit manipulation therethrough .of .sa'id door 'rea 'leasing mechanism of :said receptacle; tongue means rigidly connected with :said hopper for supporting the hottom portion of :a receptacle and with said receptacle "abetted against said hopper; and pivot :means cvxonected with i hopper and :said tongue means "to permit angn :Iar movement thereof :and of a receptacle supported on said tongue to discharge the contents of said "receptacle into said happen *1'5. Anx'unloading device or receptacleshaving a "discharge opening in a-wall thereof adjacent the bottom thereof and comprising a plurality of hoppers each :having a material receiving opening; gasket'meanssurrounding each of said material receiving openings and scalable between the :same "and the wall of a receptacle and around the discharge opening therein; a tongue means rigidly connected with each of said -hoppers for supporting the bottom portion of a receptacle thereon and with the receptacle aabutted :against the hopper; pivot means connecting each hopper withzone ofrsaidtongue means to permit angular movement of the connected hopper and :tongue means and the receptacle supported thereon to discharge the contents of the receptacle into the hopper involved; and a plurality of conveyor means feeding :into a common discharge and connected respectively to saidhop- :DEIS.

16. The combination of claim 15 wherein -the conveyors comprise :screw type conveyors.

CARL SCOTT.

No references cited. 

